(A/N: So I decided to put up the prequel to my first fanfic!!! There's a bit in between, but I'll put it up later, I'm in a rush now.)
James had spent so many long hours planning this very night, (hours standing and clutching Sirius's hand on bended knee) and now it was here. He had had dreams about this night, and nightmares about this night. He had waited impatiently for this night, he had dreaded this night. This was the night he was going to propose to his girlfriend, Lily Evans.
He led her up to the Astronomy Tower, as he had thought there was no more romantic spot in the school. Away from light pollution, the stars were burning brightly in the sky, and it was a breathtaking sight. At least, for Lily, it was. James was more interested at staring at the beautiful red-head sitting at his sight.
Sirius, that master of romance, had told him to wait until just the right moment. But what was the right moment? "You'll know it when it comes,", he had told James. Well, right now, Lily wasn't saying anything, just leaning against his shoulder, enjoying the crisp night. This seemed as good a time as any.
"Er…Lily?" Her questioning eyes fell on him. Instead of replying, he pulled her to her feet, getting up himself. Sighing, he mentally prepared himself. Don't mess it up!, he ordered himself. James pulled Lily to her feet, and then he lowered himself onto his knee, mentally wincing at the hard cold stone. He stared into her shocked, surprised, beautiful, astounding, amazing, breathtaking emerald eyes, almost forgetting what he had rehearsed with Sirius.
"Um…I – er –" This was not going well. He cleared his throat nervously, then tried again. "Lily Rose Evans, I love you. Will you – "
"Why?" Lily suddenly cut him off, blushing red, but still determinedly staring at him. The question in the green gaze confused James, addled him.
"Excuse me?" He stared back, puzzled and slightly incredulous. What a question! Who asked that sort of thing?
She took a deep breath, and evenly replied, "You heard me, James. Why do you love me?"
"What do you mean, why do I love you?" It really was a strange question. People just fell in love with each other, there was no need for explanations, surely!
James could almost see two emotions struggling on Lily's face. Slowly, as he didn't say anything else, the beautiful face sunk into misery. "There has to be a reason why you say you love me. What is it? My eyes, my face? My brain?"
He couldn't mistake the sarcasm and derision in her voice. He stiffly rose from his awkward position. Anger rising in him as well, he replied, keeping his voice light and a little teasing. "Well, somebody's full of herself, isn't she?"
A faint smile rose to her lips, making James's heart pound harder with hope. "Oh, face it, James. You don't really love me. You just wanted a challenge, someone to catch. And, congratulations, you got her. You've had her for about five months now. Isn't it time for you to get tired and move on?"
Now James was really angry. How was she to know what he didn't or did want? But still, something in him wondered, was that true? No, he empathically replied himself (wondering about his sanity at the same time) He would be miserable without Lily around, and he couldn't love anybody else. He had tried, after all, for a while, earlier that year, but he kept seeing Lily's face everywhere (he had even gone to consult a Healer about it – a waste of 30 galleons).
"How would you know, what I do or don't want? If you think I spent 4 years chasing you just to give up now, you really don't deserve the title of 'Smartest Girl in School'"
A flicker of doubt crossed Lily's face, but then it was replaced by steely determination. "I'm sorry, James, but until you can tell me what exactly you 'love' about me, I can't answer your question."
James stared at her, stunned for a moment, and slowly said, "You don't mean that."
It was definitely the wrong response. Her eyes flashed to life, but she calmly drawled, "Would you care to wager on that?"
Suddenly, a spark of hope lit up as inspiration struck him. Struggling to conceal his excitement, he glanced at her and nodded. "I would, actually. The wager being, if I can tell you exactly why I love you, you have to marry me."
Lily stared at him, thunderstruck by his proposal. "No!", she finally started to hiss, but James interrupted her.
"Okay, no, let's tweak that a bit. If I tell you why I love you, and you feel that's good enough for you, then you'll marry me."
James tried making his puppy-dog eyes, unsure whether it would work, but thinking it was worth a shot. If only she would agree to this, he might still have a chance! But Lily was still thinking, and he was starting to lose hope. Abruptly, she nodded her head. "Seriously?", he asked incredulously.
She sighed, and, rolling her eyes, said, "I must have gone insane, but yes. If and only if I feel it's a valid reason."
Slowly, a grin spread across his face. "So… we are still going out and all, right?" Feeling it sounded a little too desperate, he modified quickly, "Because we're the sensation of Hogwarts, you know, we can't deny the public."
Rolling her eyes, Lily replied, "Yes, James, I will still go out with you" Before James could feel elated, she continued, "But only because Mary and Sunehri will kill me if I don't. They're adoring worshippers of James Potter, you know."
Grinning cockily, James replied, "Who isn't?", and added, "Besides you" quickly, before she could take offense.
Business-like, Lily got to her feet and started towards the stairs. "Wait!", James called to her. "Where are you going?"
"If we are all done here, I would like to get back to the fire, it's getting chilly", Lily told him.
"Fine" James agreed, but just as Lily was turning, another question occurred to him. "Hey, Lily?" An annoyed huff answered his question; he had forgotten her hatred of the cold. Smiling slightly, he asked, "You don't believe I love you, but what about you? Do you love me?"
Without answering, Lily swept down the stairs, leaving James staring nonplussed at the spot where she had been standing.
(I shouldn't have to say this anymore, but R&R!!!)